Improved car-coupling



J DEPEW GAR GOUPLING.

No. 66,571. Patented July 9, 1867.

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JAMES llEPEU, OF PEEK SKI LLJNEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 66,571, dated July 9, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY concerns.

Be it known that I, JAMES DEPEu, of Peeks'kill, in' the county of Westchester. and State of New York have invented a new and improved Oar-Coupling; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the :same, reference= being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in :'Wl1ich--,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved car-coupling, the plane of section being indicated by the line a: x fig. 2 I

Figure 2' is a plan or top view of the same.

Figure 3 is a front view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a self-operating car-coupling, in whicha link is up ed that is made in shape of a strong bar, having a head at each end. This head, when inserted in the coupling-box, raises the: hooked-shaped front end of 'a pivoted bar, which, as soon as the head haspassed under the hooks, drops down over the head and locks'the same between the inner end of the hook and a stop that is provided in the coupling-box. For

uncoupling the link, the front end of the hooked bar must be raised, which can be done in various ways.

Alrepresentw a metal coupling-box. which-consists of the solid side-pieces aa, hich are bent out at their front ends; of'a back-piece, b, by which the sides are connected in rear of a bar, a, in front, which connects the front ends ofthe side-pieces, and which forms'the top of the mouth of the coupling-box; and of a bottom, d, which extends from the extreme front edge of the bumper to somewhat more than the half lengthof the box A,.and the front edge of which is bent downward, audits rear end thickened, as is clearly shown'in fig. 1; It

is thus shown that the top of the box is open, and also the rear part of its bottom, althoughthe latter may be completely closed if desired,.and that the upper surface of the bottom-plate d gradually rises from its front end towards the rear, so as to, guide the end of a link, that may strike any part of-the inclined surface of d gradually 1 upwards. B is a metal bar, which is as wide as the coupling-box and as long "as the space between the backpiece I) and the strip c, a1id which is pivoted to the rear end of the coupling-box by a pin, e, passing through thesides a and through the extreme rear end of the bar :8, as is' clearlyshown in fig. 1. From the front end of the bar B project downwards two hooks, ff, one on'each side of the bar, as seen in fig. 2.: The inclined face of these hooks is in front and their vertical edge in rear, as shown in fig. 1. 'Their ends or points fit into indeu tations which are provided in the bottom-plate d for that purpose, as shown in fig. 1. When at rest the hooks will be in the position shown fig. 1, by the gravity of the bar B, which tends to bear down the front end of the bar. The inclined front edge of the hooks f, and the inclined surface of the plate a", form, in connection I with the outward bent .front ends of. the plates as (1-, a funnel-shaped entrance to the coupling-box, by which everything pushed into the said coupling-box will be guided to the junction of the hooks f and plate at. O is the link. It consists of a solid iron bar, having a head, g, on each end, the inner edges of which heads are; straight, and project at right angles from the sides of the bar, while their front edges are rounded, as shown in fig. 2. These heads are made in form of plates, which are not much or not at all thicker than the bar, but which are wider than the same,- their width corresponding nearly to the distance between the parallel straight I portion'of the side-pieces a a. Theheads of these links are or may be perforated, as shown in fig. 2, to adapt them to the ordinary car-couplings. .TFQT coupling, the end or head of the link is pushed into the box, and

striking the inclined edge of the hooksf, it will gradually raise the same and pass under the same. When the I head has passed beyondthe hooks the same will again drop. down, and their inner edges will fit close against the inner straight edge of the head of the link, as is indicated by dotted lines in fig. 2. The head of the'link is thus held between the hooksfin front, a shoulder, in, (fixed to the bottom-plate 12,) in rear, and the plates at a on each side. The body of the bar 0 fits between the hobksf f, passing through the recess between the' same.

(See fig. 3.) The height-of this recess defines the up and down play which may be permitted to the link. For uncoupling the links it is necessary to raise the front end of the bar B, so, that the link may be withdrawn. This raising of the linkmay be done by various means, of which some are'indicated in the drawing. D is a horizontal shaft, passing through the box, having its bearings in thesides a a of the same. It projects beyond one side of the box, and in this outer end is a. recess orsocket, into. which the lower end of .a lever, E, may be i I inserted. bv means of which the said shaft D may be easily rocked. From the shaft D (between the platesac) project toward the front two (more or less) prongs, ii, the front ends of which fit into notches j j provided in the under side of the bar 13, although these notches may be omitted, and stops R R substituted in their place, for upholding the prongs. By turning the shaft D in the direction of the arrow 1, fig. 1, by means ofthe lever E, the ends of the prongs are pressed against the under side of ,the bar B, and the front end of the same is thereby raised, to allow the link to be withdrawn. F is :1 shaft that is hung in cars l Z,'which project above the sides a a, as shown. To the centre of this shaft is secured a, rod, B, the front end of which fits in orthrough an eye or loop, m, secured to the front end of the lever G. By pressingupon the rear end of this lever G the front of the bar B will be raised. The same object may be obtained by inserting theend of the lever E in a. socket, n, that s provided in the shaft F, as shown, and by then turning the said shaft in the direction of the arrow 2, fig. 1. H is a. plate, projecting upwards from the bottom-plate (1,.and extending through a slot in the bar 13, for the purpose of stcadying and guiding the motions of the latter.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. The bar. 13, provided with hooks in combination with the link C, inclined bottom-plate d, and stop in, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The rock-shaft F, in combination with the lever G and loop or eye m on bor B, all made and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

3. A car-coupling box and appendages, inade and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

' JAMES DEPEU.

Witnesses:

WM. F. McNAMAnA,

ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

